Inland Shipping
enterpriseTarget: River barge operator
If you are a barge operator dealing with high carbon taxes and emission limits — this project developed hydrogen fuel cell solutions for vessels up to 135m that remove emissions from the fleet.
RH2IWER · Project
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Integration for Commercial Inland Waterway Shipping Vessels
transportPilotedTRL 7
Imagine replacing a ship's heavy diesel engine with a giant, clean battery that runs on hydrogen. This project puts these systems onto real cargo boats to prove they actually work in the wild. It's like moving from a lab experiment to a real-world road test for the river highways of Europe.
By the numbers
6
commercially operated vessels for demonstration
12,800
vessels in Rhine and Danube fleets that can apply these lessons
80%
percentage of the inland waterway fleet represented by the project vessels
2 MW
maximum installed power of demonstrated vessels
The business problem
What needed solving
Shipowners are reluctant to invest in green technology due to split incentives and a lack of proven, maritime-ready evidence. This slows the transition to zero-emission shipping despite high CO2 targets.
The solution
What was built
Hydrogen fuel cell power systems and standardized containerized hydrogen storage solutions installed on six commercial vessels.
Audience
Who needs this
Inland waterway shipownersHydrogen fuel cell manufacturersPort infrastructure operatorsMaritime engineering firms
Business applications
Who can put this to work
Energy Infrastructure
enterpriseTarget: Hydrogen fuel provider
If you are a gas company dealing with the lack of maritime refueling standards — this project developed standardized containerized hydrogen solutions to enable bunkering for ships ranging from 0.6 to 2 MW.
Maritime Engineering
mid-sizeTarget: Shipyard or Retrofitter
If you are a shipyard dealing with shipowners who refuse to buy unproven tech — this project developed living proof of concept on six commercially operated vessels to lower the risk of adoption.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
What is the cost or price of these hydrogen systems?
Based on available project data, specific pricing and cost structures for the fuel cell installations are not provided.
At what industrial scale is this being tested?
The project demonstrates technology on six commercially operated vessels of varying lengths (86m, 110m, and 135m) with power outputs from 0.6 to approximately 2 MW.
How is the IP or licensing handled for these solutions?
Based on available project data, there is no specific information regarding the IP or licensing agreements for the developed technologies.
What regulations are being addressed?
The project focuses on making technologies 'maritime-ready,' which includes ensuring regulatory readiness for use on inland waterways.
How does this integrate with existing fleets?
The project uses representative vessels for the Rhine and Danube fleets, meaning lessons learned can be applied to roughly 12,800 vessels, or 80% of the inland waterway fleet.
Consortium
Who built it
The consortium is heavily industry-driven, with 13 industrial partners (81% ratio) including major fuel cell manufacturers like Ballard Europe and Nedstackl, and energy giant Air Liquide. The presence of five active shipowners (e.g., DFDS, Future Proof Shipping) ensures that the development is aligned with actual market demand and operational realities rather than just academic research.
How to reach the team
Contact VTT Finland for technical specifications on the fuel cell integration.
Next steps
Talk to the team behind this work.
Contact us to find a partner for hydrogen vessel retrofitting.
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